Improvement in latches for gates



GEORGE W. LARGE.

Improvement in Latches'f'or Gates.

Patented Jan. 30, I872.

GEORGE W. LARGE, OF YELLOW SPRDTGS, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN LATCHES FOR GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,267, dated January 30, 1872.

I, GEORGE W. LARGE, of Yellow Springs, Greene county, Ohio, have invented a new and useful GateLatch, of which the following is a specification:

M y invention relates to an extremely simple, cheap, and effective form of gate-latch, capable of being applied to either the right or left end of a gate, as may be most convenient; and my improvement consists in a gravitatin g handle or lever for the same, adapted to be detached and reversed as required.

I11 the accompanyingdrawing, Figure l is a perspective view representing a gate furnished with my latch in its right-hand form or condition; and Fig. 2 represents, on a somewhat larger scale, the same latch in its left-hand form or condition.

My latch in its preferred form consists essentially of a hub or head, A, from which pro-v ceeds a shank, B, that terminates in a triangular foot, 0, of whose two bevel faces the face 0 is efi'ective in the right-hand and the face 0 in the left-hand condition of the latch.

The head A has a gain or recess, a, parallel, and a circular orifice, a, perpendicular to its face. The said gain is occupied by a gravitating handle or lever, D, which is secured in either the right-hand condition, as in Fig. 1, or in the left-hand condition, as in Fig. 2, by means of a wood-screw, E, which traverses an orifice, d, in the said handle and the orifice a in the head, and which serves the double purpose of securing the lever to the head and the entire latch to the gate. The latch may engage in a recess, F, in the post or behind any suitable metal catch or striker screwed thereto. Two small nails, screws, or pins, G G,may be driven into the gate to limit the vibrations of the latch.

The operation of the latch is as follows: By raising the lever with the hand the latch is disengaged from the catch on the post, and the gate may be opened, upon which the power of gravitation brings the latchas it was as soon as the hand leaves the lever. When the gate is closed, the power of gravitation yields to the concussion of latch and post until the latch has passed the catch, when again the same power engages the latch with the catch and the'gate is again made fast.

This latch, having two effective bevel-faces, cand c, and areversible handle, D d, is available .for either end of the gate, and, should circumstances make it desirable, can at any moment be transferred from right to left or from left to right without necessitating the expense and delay of a new latch.

Claim.

I claim as new and of my invention- The detachable and reversible gravitating handle or lever D, substantially as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand.

WVitnesses:

GEO. H. KNIGHT, W. G. WHITEHURST.

G. \V. LARGE. 

